Foxes bat out for draw

Thornely and Eckersley defy Glamorgan

Centuries from Michael Thornely and Ned Eckersley helped Leicestershire to a draw on the final day against Glamorgan at Cardiff.

Thornely, on Leicestershire debut, had added 131 to his first innings of 97, putting on 245 in 88 overs for the second wicket with Eckersley - who ended on a career best 137 not out.

Glamorgan's only wicket of the day came when Thornely drove Jim Allenby straight to cover point, but Eckersley and stand-in captain Ramnaresh Sarwan (25no) saw Leicestershire to the close as the home side used part-time bowlers in the final overs.

Leicestershire declared their second innings on 316-2 - a lead of 38 - at 4.50pm to confirm the result.

Glamorgan, who used 10 bowlers during the Leicestershire second innings, take 10 points from this basement battle to Leicestershire's six - but the Welsh county remain rooted to the bottom of Division Two.

Day Three

Glamorgan head into the final day against Leicestershire at Cardiff with a chance to claim their first County Championship match of the season after skipper Mark Wallace's century allowed them to pile up the runs on day three.

Wallace hit 118 as the Welsh county advanced their overnight 302-5 to 558-9 declared, a first-innings lead of 287.

He received support from Jim Allenby (61) and James Harris (48) in stands worth 139 and 94 respectively, while Foxes seamer Wayne White finished with 4-98.

Seamer Harris had Greg Smith (10) caught behind in the eighth over of Leicestershire's second innings before Michael Thornely (36no) and Ned Eckersley (37no) saw them through to stumps on 84-1, still 203 behind.

Day Two

Marcus North's first century for Glamorgan helped the Welsh county take control on the second day against Leicestershire at Cardiff.

The Australian batsman, who scored a century in the Ashes Test at the same ground in 2009, was in sparkling form and struck 116 as Glamorgan reached 302-5 to claim a 31-run lead after Leicestershire were all out for 271.

North, who had previously scored three half-centuries in four innings for the county, shared in 103 and 91-run partnerships with Gareth Rees (66) and Ben Wright (44) respectively, with Leicestershire captain Ramnaresh Sarwan using eight bowers.

Glamorgan's overseas star was out just two overs before the close, with his 148-ball knock containing 11 fours.

Leicestershire, on 199-6 in their first innings overnight, lasted only another 22.5 overs of the second morning with Glamorgan seamer Jim Allenby finishing with 4-39 and spinner Dean Cosker 3-59.

Day One

Leicestershire opener Michael Thornely fell three runs short of a maiden century as the Foxes laboured to 199-6 on day one of their LV= County Championship match with Glamorgan.

Making his debut for the visitors after Matthew Boyce twisted an ankle during the warm-up, Thornely occupied the crease for 89 of the day's 96 overs as he edged towards a maiden first-class ton.

However, the 24-year-old fell to Glamorgan paceman Huw Waters after facing 276 balls, seven of which he hit to the boundary.

Thornely put on 89 for the second wicket with the promoted Ned Eckersley (41) after losing fellow opener Greg Smith lbw to Jim Allenby in the 19th over of the morning.

But Leicestershire failed to build on their solid foundation of 137-1 after Eckersley had his off stump pinned back by James Harris just before tea.

Stand-in skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan was then caught behind off Waters for three and Josh Cobb bowled by Allenby (2-21) for a duck.

The Foxes, without Matthew Hoggard because of 'flu, also lost Jacques du Toit in the final session, lbw to spinner Dean Cosker for five, before Thornely edged the second new ball to Allenby at first slip.